Gergiev's right hand: concert master of the Munich Philharmonic is touring through Russia

Created: 05/02/2022, 16:52

By: Markus Thiel

Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcowici has also been concertmaster of the Mariinsky Orchestra for several years.

© Frank Bauer

The Munich Philharmonic has just parted ways with their chief conductor Valery Gergiev, and now there is new trouble in the house: their concertmaster Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcowici is touring through Russia with the outlawed conductor.

When he sits in the pole position of the orchestra as an imposing figure with just such a curly head to give impetus, then Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcowici cannot be overlooked.

And anyone who knows him knows that he likes it exceptionally well.

But now the concertmaster of the Munich Philharmonic has slipped into the limelight in an unfortunate way.

He is currently touring through Russia with Valery Gergiev, a conductor who is ostracized almost everywhere because of his closeness to Putin, and his Mariinsky Orchestra.

At Gergiev's request, Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcowici has been active in this double function for several years.

Before Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the people of Munich tolerated this without complaint (at least to the outside world) - although the native Romanian secured a well-paid part-time job with it.

However, since Gergiev's contract was terminated by the city of Munich because of his attitude towards Putin, a new situation has arisen.

Gergiev tour: the Philharmoniker had their engagement legally checked

On request, the Philharmonic confirm that their concert master has “indicated” that he will play concerts with the Mariinsky Orchestra.

This applies to a tour as well as other individual concerts.

First, the classic magazine "Crescendo" reported on this case.

"Our scope for action results from labor law," the Philharmonic informed our newspaper.

“We had this form of part-time work by Mr. Nasturica at the Mariinsky Orchestra legally examined.

With the result that there is nothing to object to from an employment law perspective.

To what extent it is ethically justifiable, everyone who practices it must answer for themselves.” Between the lines one can read that the Philharmoniker should be extremely unhappy about the continuation of the secondary activity – and this in a country

which is currently in the state of aggressive war.

The city of Munich had not commented on the matter by the time this issue went to press.

Nasturica-Herschcowici has been first concertmaster of the Munich Philharmonic since 1992.

In addition, he has entered into a number of engagements outside of Munich.

According to his agency, he works with numerous ensembles of the Berlin Philharmonic and also directs the chamber orchestra of the Munich Philharmonic, which is usually hired by private organizers outside of the day-to-day business of the Philharmonic.

Nasturica-Herschcowici has been at the head of the Mariinsky Stradivarius Ensemble since 2013.

In addition to his function as first guest concertmaster in St. Petersburg, he has also appeared there as a conductor.